+80. General Principles of Composition.+—There are three important principles to be considered in every composition: unity, coherence, and emphasis. Though not always named, each of these has been considered and used in our writing of paragraphs. The consideration of methods of securing unity, coherence, and emphasis in the composition as a whole is the purpose of this chapter. It will serve also as a review and especially as an enlarged view of paragraph development as treated in Chapter III, for the methods discussed with regard to the whole composition are the same that are used in applying the three principles to single paragraphs.
+81. Unity.+—A composition possesses unity if all that it contains bears directly upon the subject. It is evident that the title of the theme determines in a large degree the matter that should be included. Much that is appropriate to a theme on "Bass Fishing" will be found unnecessary in a theme entitled "How I caught a Bass." It is easier to secure unity in a theme treating of a narrow, limited subject than in one treating of a broad, general subject. The first step toward unity is, therefore, the selection of a limited subject and a suitable title (see Sections 58-61); the second is the collection of all facts, illustrations, and other material which may appropriately be used in a theme having the chosen title.
+82. Coherence.+—A composition is given coherence by placing the ideas in such an order that each naturally suggests the one which follows. If the last paragraph is more closely related in thought to the first paragraph than it is to the intervening ones, the composition lacks coherence. Similarly, that paragraph is coherent in which the thought moves forward in an orderly way with each sentence growing out of the preceding one.
In describing the capture of a large trout a boy might state that he broke his pole. Then he might tell what kind of pole he had, why he did not have a better one, what poles are best adapted to trout fishing, etc. Though each of these ideas is suggested by the preceding, the story still lacks coherence because the boy will need later to go back and tell us what happened to him or to the trout when the pole broke. If a description of the kind of pole is necessary in order to make the point of the story clear, it should have been introduced earlier. Stopping at the moment of vital interest to discuss fishing poles, spoils the effect of the story. Good writers are very skillful in the early introducing of details that will enable the reader to appreciate the events as they happen, and they are equally skillful in omitting unnecessary details. The proper selection of these details gives unity, and their introduction at the proper place gives coherence to a narrative. By saying, "I am getting ahead of my story," the narrator confesses that coherence is lacking. Read again the selection on page 106.
+83. Emphasis.+—If we desire to make one part of a theme more emphatic than another, we may do so by giving a prominent position to that part. In debating we give the first place and the last to the strongest arguments. In simple narration the order in which incidents must be related is fixed by the time-order of their occurrence, but even in a story the point gains in force if it is near the close. Because these two positions are the ones of greatest emphasis, a poor beginning or a bad ending will ruin an otherwise good story.
Emphasis may also be affected by the proportional amount of attention and space given to the different parts of a theme. The extent to which any division of a theme should be developed depends upon the purpose and the total length of the theme. A biography of Grant might appropriately devote two or three chapters to his boyhood, while a short sketch of his life would treat his boyhood in a single paragraph. In determining the amount of space to be given to the different parts of a composition, care must be taken that the space assigned to each shall be proportional to its importance, the largest amount of space being devoted to the part which is of greatest worth.
Emphasis is sometimes given by making a single sentence into a paragraph. This method should be used with care, for such a paragraph may be too short for unity because it does not include all that should be said about the topic statement, and though it makes that statement emphatic, fails to make its meaning clear.
Clearness, unity, and coherence are of more importance than emphasis, and usually, if a theme possesses the first three qualities, it will possess the fourth in sufficient measure.
+84. The Outline.+—An outline will assist us in securing unity, coherence, and emphasis.
1. The first step in making an outline has relation to unity. Unity requires that a theme include only that which pertains to the subject. There are always many more ideas that seem to bear upon a subject than can be included in the theme. We may therefore jot down brief notes that will suggest our ideas on the subject, and then we should reject from this list all that seem irrelevant or trivial. We should also reject the less important ideas which pertain directly to the subject if without them we have all that are needed in order to fulfill the purpose of the theme.
Which items in the following should be omitted as not necessary to the complete treatment of the subject indicated by the title? Should anything be added?
My First Partridge
Where I lived ten years ago.Kinds of game: partridge, quail, squirrels.Partridge drumming.My father went hunting often.How he was injured.Birch brush near hemlock; partridge often found in such localities.Loading the gun.Going to the woods.Why partridge live near birch brush.Fall season.Hunting for partridge allowed from September to December.Tramping through the woods.Something moving.Creeping up.How I felt; excited; hand shook.Partridge on log.Gun failed to go off; cocking it properly.The shot; the recoil.The flurry of the bird.How partridges fly.How they taste when cooked.Getting the bird.Going home.Partridges are found in the woods; quail in the fields.What my sister said.My brother's interest.My father's story about shooting three partridges with one shot.What mother did.
2. The second step in outline making has relation to coherence. After we have rejected from our notes all items which would interfere with the unity of our theme, we next arrange the remaining items in a coherent order. One method of securing coherence is illustrated by a simple narrative which follows the time-order. We naturally group together in our memory those events which occurred at a given time, and in recalling a series of events we pass in order from one such group to another. These groups form natural paragraph units, and the placing of them in their actual time-order gives coherence to the composition.
After rejecting the unnecessary items in the preceding list, re-arrange the remaining ones in a coherent order. How many paragraphs would you make and what would you include in each?
3. The third step in making an outline has relation to emphasis. In some outlines emphasis is secured by placing the more important points first, in others by placing them last. In this particular outline we have a natural time-order to follow, and emphasis will be determined mainly by the relative proportion to be given to different paragraphs. Do not give unimportant paragraphs too much space. Be sure that the introduction and the conclusion are short.
+Theme XLV.+—Write a personal narrative at least three paragraphs in length.
Suggested subjects:— 1. How I was saved from drowning. 2. The largest string of fish I ever caught. 3. An incident of the skating season. 4. What I did on Christmas day. 5. A Saturday with my grandmother. 6. To the city and back.
(Make an outline. Keep in mind unity, coherence, and emphasis. Consider each paragraph with reference to unity, coherence, and emphasis.)
+85. Development of a Composition with Reference to the Time-Order.+— Of the several methods of developing a composition let us consider first that of giving details in the natural time-order. (See Section 46.) If a composition composed of a series of paragraphs possesses coherence, each paragraph is so related to the preceding ones that the thought goes steadily forward from one to another. Often the connection in thought is so evident that no special indication needs to be made, but if the paragraphs are arranged with reference to a time-order, this time-order is usually indicated.
Notice how the relation in time of each paragraph to the preceding is shown by the following sentences of parts of sentences taken in order from a magazine article entitled "Yachting at Kiel," by James B. Connolly:—
1. It was slow waiting in Travemunde. The long-enduring twilight of asummer's day at fifty-four north began to settle down…
2. The dusk comes on, and on the ships of war they seem to be gettingnervous…
3. The dusk deepens…
4. It is getting chilly in the night air, with the rations running low,and the charterers of some of the fishing boats decide to go home…
5. It is eleven o'clock—dark night—and the breeze is freshening, whenthe first of the fleet heaves in sight…
6. After that they arrive rapidly…
7. At midnight there is still noMeteor…
8. Through the entire night they keep coming…
9. Next morning…
+Theme XLVI.+—Write a narrative, four or more paragraphs in length, showing the time-order.
Suggested subjects:— 1. The race up the river. 2. The life of some well-known man. 3. The cake that fell. 4. Retell some incident that you have recently read. 5. Relate some personal experience. 6. A story suggested by the picture on page 160.
(Make an outline. Consider the unity, coherence, and emphasis of each paragraph separately. Then consider the unity, coherence, and emphasis of the whole composition. Notice what expressions you have used to indicate the relations in time. Have you used the same expression too often?)
+86. Development of a Composition with Reference to Position in Space.+— A second method of development is to relate details with reference to their position in space.
[Illustration]
Just as we may give either a paragraph or a whole theme coherence by following a given time-order, so may we make a paragraph or a whole theme coherent by arranging the parts in an order determined by their position in space. In developing a theme by this method we simply apply to the whole theme the principles discussed for the development of a paragraph (Section 47).
In a description composed of several paragraphs, each paragraph should contain a group of details closely related to one another in space. The paragraphs should be constructed so that each shall possess unity and coherence within itself, and they should be so arranged that we may pass most easily from the group of images presented by one paragraph to the images presented by the next. In narration, the space arrangement may supplement time-order in giving coherence.
If the most attractive features of an art room are its wall decorations, five paragraphs describing the room may be as follows:—
1. Point of view: general impression. 2. The north wall: general impression; details. 3. The east wall: general impression; details. 4. The south wall: general impression; details. 5. The west wall: general impression; details.
It is easy to imagine a room in the description of which the following paragraphs would be appropriate:—
1. Point of view. 2. The fireplace. 3. The easy-chair. 4. The table. 5. The bookcase. 6. The cozy nook.
Such an arrangement of paragraphs would give coherence. Unity would be secured by including in each only that which properly belonged to it.
There are many words and expressions which indicate the relative position of objects. The paragraph below is an illustration of the method of development described in Section 47. Notice the words which indicate the location of the different details in the scene. If each of these details should be developed into a paragraph the italicized expressions would serve to introduce these paragraphs and would show the relative positions of the objects described.
The beauty of the sea and shore was almost indescribable:on one siderose Point Loma, grim, gloomy as a fortress wall;beforeme stretched away to the horizon the ocean with its miles of breakers curling into foam;betweenthe surf and the city, wrapped in its dark blue mantle, lay the sleeping bay;eastwardthe mingled yellow, red, and white of San Diego's buildings glistened in the sunlight like a bed of coleus;beyondthe city heaved the rolling plains rich in their garb of golden brown,from whichrose the distant mountains, tier on tier, wearing the purple veil which Nature here loves oftenest to weave for them; whilein the foreground, like a jewel in a brilliant setting, stood the Coronado.
—Stoddard:California.
+Theme XLVII.+—Write a description three or more paragraphs in length.
Suggested subjects:— 1. Some well-known building (exterior). 2. A prominent person. 3. An attractive room. 4. The interior of a church.
(Consider your outline with reference to unity, coherence, and proportion of parts. When the theme is completed, consider the unity, coherence, and emphasis of each paragraph and of the composition as a whole.)
+87. Paragraph Relations.+—Relations in thought other than those of time and space may be indicated by the use of certain words and phrases. Such expressions as,however, nevertheless, consequently, indeed, moreover, at all events, etc., are often used to indicate a relation in thought between paragraphs. Notice hownevertheless, at the beginning of the selection below, serves to connect it in thought with a preceding paragraph not printed here. Notice also the relations in thought shown by the italicized words. These and similar words are used to make the transition from one paragraph to the next.
Nevertheless, Howe was at last in possession of Philadelphia, the object of his campaign, and with his communications by water open. He had consumed four months in this business since he left New York, three months since he landed near the Elk River. His prize, now that he had got it, was worth less than nothing in a military point of view, and he had been made to pay a high price for it, not merely in men, but in precious time, for while he was struggling sluggishly for Philadelphia, Burgoyne, who really meant something very serious, had gone to wreck and sunk out of sight in the northern forests.Indeed, Howe did not even hold his dearly bought town in peace. After the fall of the forts, Greene, aided by Lafayette, who had joined the army on its way to the Brandywine, made a sharp dash and broke up an outlying party of Hessians.Such thingswere intolerable, they interfered with personal comfort, and they emanated from the American army which Washington had now established in strong lines at Whitemarsh.SoHowe announced that in order to have a quiet winter, he would drive Washington beyond the mountains. Howe did not often display military intelligence, but that he was profoundly right in this particular intention must be admitted. In pursuit of his plan,therefore, he marched out of Philadelphia on December 4th, drove off some Pennsylvania militia on the 5th, considered the American position for four days, did not dare to attack, could not draw his opponent out, returned to the city, and left Washington to go into winter quarters at Valley Forge, whence he could easily strike if any move was made by the British army.
—Henry Cabot Lodge.
+88. The Transition Paragraph.+—Just as a word or phrase may serve to denote the relation in thought between paragraphs, so may a whole paragraph be used to carry over the thought from one group of paragraphs to another in the same theme. Such a paragraph makes a transition from one general topic or method of treating the subject of the theme to some other general topic or to the consideration of the subject from a different point of view. This transitional paragraph may summarize the thought of the preceding paragraph in addition to announcing a change of topic; or it may mark the transition to the new topic and set it forth in general terms.
+89. The Summarizing Paragraph.+—Frequently we give emphasis to our thought by a final paragraph summarizing the main points of the theme. Such a summary is in effect a restatement of the topic sentences of our paragraphs. If our theme has been coherent, these sentences stated in order will need but little changing to make a coherent paragraph. In a similar way, it is of advantage to close a long paragraph with a sentence which repeats the topic statement or summarizes the thought of the paragraph. See the last sentence in Section 57.
+90. Development of a Composition by Comparison or Contrast.+—The third method of development is that of comparison or contrast. Nearly every idea which we have suggests one that is similar to it or in contrast with it. We are thus led to make comparisons or to state contrasts. When these are few and brief, they may make a single paragraph (Section 48). If our comparisons or contrasts are extended, they may make several paragraphs, and thus a whole theme may be developed by this method.
In such a theme no fixed order of presentation is determined by the actual occurrence in time or space of that which we present. Consequently, in outlining a theme of this kind, we must devote special attention to arranging our paragraphs in an order that shall give coherence and emphasis.
+Theme XLVIII.+—Write a theme of three or more paragraphs developed by comparison.
Suggested subjects:—1. Compare men with verbs (active, passive, transitive, intransitive,defective, redundant, auxiliary, copulative, etc.).2. Show that the body resembles a machine.3. In what way is the school like a factory?4. How do two books that you have read differ?5. Compare Lincoln and McKinley. How alike? How different?6. How can you tell an oak tree from an elm tree?7. Without naming them, compare two of your friends with each other.8. Compare the advantages and disadvantages of public high schoolswith those of private academies.
+91. Development of a Composition by Use of Generalization and Facts.+— Using the fourth method of development, we may give an entire composition to the explanation of the meaning of a general proposition or to the demonstration of the truth of such a proposition. To accomplish this purpose we state facts or instances that illustrate the meaning of the proposition or that show it to be true. In such a composition each important fact or instance may be given a separate paragraph, while several minor facts or illustrations may be properly combined in the same paragraph. (See Section 44.) Greater emphasis may also be given the more important facts by assigning them to the emphatic positions.
Notice how by specific instances the following selection illustrates the truth of the generalization set forth in the second sentence and restated in the last sentence.
While parasitism is the principal cause of degeneration among animals, yet it is not the sole cause. It is evident that if for any other reason animals should become fixed, and live inactive lives, they would degenerate. There are not a few instances of degeneration due simply to a quiescent life, unaccompanied by parasitism.
The Tunicata, or sea squirts, are animals which have become simple through degeneration, due to the adoption of a sedentary life, the withdrawal from the crowd of animals and from the struggle which it necessitates. The young tunicate is a free-swimming, active, tadpolelike, or fishlike creature, which possesses organs very like those of the adult of the simplest fishes or fishlike forms. That is, the sea squirt begins life as a primitively simple vertebrate. It possesses in its larval stage a notochord, the delicate structure which precedes the formation of a backbone, extending along the upper part of the body below the spinal cord. The other organs of the young tunicate are all of vertebral type. But the young sea squirt passes a period of active and free life as a little fish, after which it settles down and attaches itself to a shell or wooden pier by means of suckers, and remains for the rest of its life fixed. Instead of going on and developing into a fishlike creature, it loses its notochord, its special sense organs, and other organs; it loses its complexity and high organization, and becomes a "mere rooted bag with a double neck," a thoroughly degenerate animal.
A barnacle is another example of degeneration through quiescence. The barnacles are crustaceans related most nearly to the crabs and shrimps. The young barnacle just from the egg is a six-legged, free-swimming nauplius, very like a young prawn or crab, with a single eye. In its next larval stage it has six pairs of swimming feet, two compound eyes, and two antennae or feelers, and still lives an independent free-swimming life. When it makes its final change to the adult condition, it attaches itself to some stone, or shell, or pile, or ship's bottom, loses its compound eyes and feelers, develops a protecting shell, and gives up all power of locomotion. Its swimming feet become changed into grasping organs, and it loses most of its outward resemblance to the other members of its class.
Certain insects live sedentary or fixed lives. All the members of the family of scale insects (Coccidae), in one sex at least, show degeneration that has been caused by quiescence. One of these coccids, called the red orange scale, is very abundant in Florida and California and in other fruit-growing regions. The male is a beautiful, tiny, two-winged midge, but the female is a wingless, footless, little sack, without eyes or other organs of special sense, which lies motionless under a flat, thin, circular, reddish scale composed of wax and two or three cast skins of the insect itself. The insect has a long, slender, flexible, sucking beak, which is thrust into the leaf or stem or fruit of the orange on which the "scale bug" lives, and through which the insect sucks the orange sap, which is its only food. It lays eggs under its body, and thus also under the protecting wax scale, and dies. From the eggs hatch active little larval "scale bugs," with eyes and feelers, and six legs. They crawl from under the wax scale and roam about over the orange tree. Finally, they settle down, thrusting their sucking beak into the plant tissue, and cast their skin. The females lose at this molt their legs and eyes and feelers. Each becomes a mere motionless sack capable only of sucking up sap and laying eggs. The young males, however, lose their sucking beak and can no longer take food, but they gain a pair of wings and an additional pair of eyes. They fly about and fertilize the sacklike females, which then molt again and secrete the thin wax scale over them.
Throughout the animal kingdom loss of the need of movement is followed by the loss of the power to move and of all structures related to it.
—Jordon and Kellogg:Animal Life.
Has the principle of unity been observed in the above selection; that is, of the many things that might be told about a sea squirt, a barnacle, or a scale bug, have the authors selected only those which serve to illustrate degeneration through quiescence?
Instead of one generalization supported by a series of facts to each of which a paragraph is given, we may have several subordinate generalizations relating to the subject of the theme. Each of these subordinate generalizations may become the topic statement of a paragraph which is further developed by giving specific instances or by some other method of paragraph development. Such an order, that is, generalization followed by the facts which illustrate it, is coherent; but care must be taken to give each fact under the generalization to which it is most closely related. On the other hand, our theme may be made coherent by giving the facts first, and then the generalization that they establish.
+Theme XLIX.+—Write a theme of three or more paragraphs illustrating or proving some general statement by means of facts or specific instances.
Suggested subjects:—1. Young persons should not drink coffee.2. Reasons for the curfew bell.3. Girls wear their hair in a variety of ways.4. There are several kinds of boys in this school.5. Civilization increases as the facilities for transportationincrease.6. Trolley roads are of great benefit to the country.7. Presence of mind often averts danger.
+92. Development of a Composition by Stating Cause and Effect.+—The statement of the causes of an event or condition may be used as a fifth method of development. The principle, however, is not different from that applied to the development of a paragraph by stating cause and effect (Section 49). If several causes contribute to the same effect, each may be given a separate paragraph, or several minor ones may be combined in one paragraph. For the sake of unity we must include each fact, principle, or statement in the paragraph to which it really belongs. The coherent order is usually that which proceeds from causes to effects rather than that which traces events backward from effects to causes.
+Theme L.+—Write a theme of three or more paragraphs, stating causes and effects.
Suggested subjects:—1. Why hospitals are necessary.2. Why cigarette smoking is dangerous.3. Why girls should take music lessons.4. The effect of climate upon health.5. The effect of rainfall upon the productivity and industries of acountry.6. The effect of mountains, lakes, or rivers upon exploration andtravel.7. What connection is there between occupation and height above thesea level, and why?8. Why our city is located where it is.9. Why I came late to school.
+93. Combination of Methods of Development.+—Frequently the presentation of our thought is made most effective by using some combination of the methods of development discussed in this chapter. Time and place are often interwoven, comparisons and contrasts flash into mind, general statements need specific illustration, or results demand immediate explanation—all in the same theme. Sometimes the order of coherence will be in doubt, for cause and effect demand a different order of statement from that which would be given were we to follow either time-order or position in space. In such cases we must choose whether it is most important to tell firstwhyorwhenorwhere. The only rule that can be suggested is to do that which will make our meaning most clear, because it is for the sake of the clear presentation of our thought that we seek unity, coherence, and emphasis.
+Theme LI.+—Write a theme of several paragraphs. Use any method of development or any combination of methods.
(Choose your own subject. After the theme is written make a list of all the questions you should ask yourself about it. Correct the theme with reference to each point in your list of questions.)
1. General principles of composition.a.Unity.b.Coherence.c.Emphasis.(1) By position.(2) By proportion of parts.
2. An outline assists in securing unity, coherence, and emphasis.
3. Methods of composition development: A composition may be developed—a.With reference to time-order.b.With reference to position in space.c.By use of comparison and contrast.d.By stating generalization and facts.e.By stating cause and effect.f.By any suitable combination of the above methods.
4. Transition and summary paragraphs may occur in compositions.
+94. Importance of Good Letter Writing.+—Letter writing is the form of written language used by most of us more frequently than any other form. The importance of good letter writing is therefore obvious. Business, personal, and social relations necessitate the writing of letters. We are judged by those letters; and in order that we may be considered businesslike, educated, and cultured, it is necessary that we should be able to write good letters, not only as regards the form but also as regards the subject-matter. The writing of good letters is often the means of securing desirable positions and of keeping up pleasant and helpful friendships. Since this form of composition plays so important a part in our lives and the lives of those about us, it is worthy of careful study.
The subject-matter is the most important part of the letter, but adherence to usages generally adopted is essential to successful letter writing. Some of these usages may seem trivial in themselves, but a lack of attention to them shows either ignorance or carelessness on the part of the writer, and the consequences resulting from this inattention are often anything but trivial. Applicants for good positions have been rejected either because they did not know the correct usages of letter writing, or because they did not heed them. In no other form of composition are the rules concerning form so rigid; hence the need of knowledge and carefulness concerning them.
+95. Paper.+—The nature of the letter determines to some extent our choice of paper. Business letters are usually written on large paper, about ten by eight inches in size, while letters of friendship and notes of various kinds are written on paper of smaller size. White or delicately tinted paper is always in good taste for all kinds of letters. The use of highly tinted paper is occasionally in vogue with some people, but failure to use it is never an offense against the laws of good taste. It is customary now to use unruled paper for all kinds of letters as well as for other forms of compositions. For letters of friendship four-page paper is preferred to that in tablet form. The order in which the pages are used may vary; but whatever the order is, it should not be confusing to the reader.
Black ink should always be used. The writing should be neat and legible. Attention should be paid to margin, paragraphs, and indentation. In fact, all the rules of theme writing apply to letter writing, and to these are added several others.
+96. The Beginning of a Letter.+—Certain forms for the beginning of letters have been agreed upon, and these forms should be followed. The beginning of a letter usually includes the heading, the address of the person or persons to whom the letter is sent, and the salutation.
Notice the following examples:—
(1)______________________________________________________| || 171 Miles Ave., || Cleveland, Ohio. || Oct. 21, 1905. || Marshall Field & Co., || State St., Chicago, Ill. || || Gentlemen: || |
(2)______________________________________________________| || Ottawa, Ill. || Nov. 9, 1905. || Dear Harold, || |
(3)______________________________________________________| || 1028 Jackson Boulevard, || Chicago Ill. || Nov. 10, 1905. || Messrs. Johnson & Foote, || 120 Main St., || Pittsfield, Mass. || || Dear Sirs, || |
(4)______________________________________________________| || 120 P Street, || Lincoln, Neb. || Oct. 17, 1905. || My dear Mrs. Scott, || |
(5)______________________________________________________| || Boston, Mass., Nov. 23, 1905. || || Dear Mother, || |
(6)______________________________________________________| || 33 Front St., || Adrian, Mich. || Nov. 30, 1905. || Miss Gertrude Brown, || 228 Warren Ave., Chicago, Ill. || || Dear Madam: || |
(7)______________________________________________________| || New Hartford, Conn. || Nov. 3, 1905. || My dear Henry, || |
The heading of a letter includes the address of the writer and the date of the writing. When numerous letters are sent from one place to another, the street and number may after a time be omitted from the heading. Example (5) illustrates this. A son living in Boston has written to his mother frequently and no longer considers it necessary to write the street and number in every letter. If there is any doubt in the writer's mind as to whether his address will be remembered or not, he should include it in the letter. If the writer lives in a small place where the street and number will not be needed in a reply sent to him, it is unnecessary for him to make use of it in his letter. When the street and number are omitted, the heading may be written on one line, as in example (5), but the use of two lines is preferable.
Custom has decreed that the proper place for the heading is in the right-hand upper corner of the first page. Sometimes, especially in business letters, we find the writer's address at the close of the letter, but for the sake of convenience it is preferably placed at the beginning. The first line should be about one inch and a half from the top of the page. The second line should begin a little to the right of the first line, and the third line, a little to the right of the second line. Attention should be paid to proper punctuation in each line.
In a comparatively few cases we may find that the omission of the date of the letter will make no difference to the recipient, but in most cases it will cause annoyance at least, and in many cases result in serious trouble both to ourselves and to those who receive our letters. We should not allow ourselves to neglect the date even in letters of apparently no great importance. If we allow the careless habit of omitting dates to develop, we may some day omit a date when the omission will affect affairs of great importance. This date should include the day, month, and year. It is better to write out the entire year, as 1905, not '05.
In business letters it is customary to write the address of the person or persons addressed at the left side of the page. Either two or three lines may be used. The first line of this address should be one line lower than the last line of the heading. Notice examples (1), (3), and (6). When the address is thus written, the salutation is commonly written one line below it. Sometimes the salutation is commenced at the margin, and sometimes a little to the right of the address. Where there is no address, the salutation is written a line below the date and begins with the margin, as in examples (2), (4), (5), and (7).
The form of salutation naturally depends upon the relations existing between the correspondents. The formsDear Sir, My dear Sir, Madam, My dear Madam, Dear Sirs, Gentlemen, are used in formal business letters. The formsDear Miss Robinson, My dear Mrs. Hobart, Dear Mr. Fraser, My dear Mr. Scott, are used in business letters when the correspondents are acquainted with each other. The same forms are also used in letters of friendship when the correspondents are not well enough acquainted with each other to warrant the use of the more familiar forms,My dear Mary, Dear Edmund, My dear Friend, Dear Cousin, My dear little Niece.
There is no set rule concerning the punctuation of the salutation. The comma, the colon, or the semicolon may be used either alone or in connection with the dash. The comma alone seems to be the least formal of all, and the colon the most so. Hence the former is used more frequently in letters of friendship, and the latter more frequently in business letters.
+97. Body of the Letter.+—The body of the letter is the important part; in fact, it is the letter itself, since it contains the subject-matter. It will be discussed under another head later, and is only mentioned here in order to show its place in connection with the beginning of a letter. As a rule, it is best to begin the body of our letters one line below, and either directly underneath or to the right of the salutation. It is not improper, however, especially in business letters, to begin it on the same line with the salutation. A few examples will be sufficient to show the variations of the place for beginning the main part of the letter.
(1)______________________________________________________| || 1694 Cedar Ave., || Cleveland, Ohio. || June 23, 1905. || Messrs. Hanna, Scott & Co., || Aurora, Ill. || || Gentlemen:—I inclose a money order for $10.00, || etc. || |
(2)______________________________________________________| || Everett, Washington. || Oct. 20, 1905. || My dear Robert, || We are very glad that you have decided to make || us a visit, etc. || |
(3)______________________________________________________| || Greenwich, N.Y. || Sept. 19, 1905. || My dear Miss Russ, || Since I have been Miss Clark's assistant, etc. || |
(4)______________________________________________________| || 2 University Ave., || Nashville, Tenn. || April 19, 1905. || The American Book Company, || 300 Pike St., || Cinncinnati, O. || || Dear Sirs:—Please send me by express two copies || of Halleck's English Literature, etc. || |
+98. Conclusion of a Letter.+—The conclusion of a letter includes what is termed the complimentary close and the signature. Certain forms have been agreed upon, which should be closely followed.
Our choice of a complimentary close, like that of a salutation, depends upon the relations existing between us and those to whom we are writing. Such forms asYour loving daughter, With love, Ever your friend, Your affectionate mother, should be used only when intimate relations exist between correspondents. In letters where existing relations are not so intimate and in some kinds of business letters the formsSincerely yours, Yours very sincerely,may be used appropriately. The most common forms in business letters areYours trulyandVery truly yours. The formsRespectfully yours,orYours very respectfully,should be used only when there is occasion for some special respect, as in writing to a person of high rank or position.
The complimentary close should be written one line below the last line of the main part of the letter, and toward the right-hand side of the page. Its first word should commence with a capital, and a comma should be placed at its close.
The signature properly belongs below and a little to the right of the complimentary close. Except in cases of familiar relationship, the name should be signed in full. It is difficult to determine the spelling of unfamiliar proper names if they are carelessly written. It is therefore important in writing to strangers that the signature should be made plainly legible in order that they may know how to address the writer in their reply. A lady should make it plain whether she is to be addressed asMissorMrs.This can be done either by placing the titleMissorMrs.in parentheses before the name, or by writing the whole address below and to the left of the signature. Boys and men may often avoid confusion by signing their first name instead of using only initials.
Notice the following examples of the complimentary close and signature:—
(1)______________________________________________________| || Appleton, Wisconsin. || Sept. 3, 1905. || || My dear Cousin, || || || (Body of letter.) || || || Yours with love, || Gertrude Edmonds. || |
(2)______________________________________________________| || 192 Lincoln Ave., || Worcester, Mass. || Nov. 25, 1905. || || L.B. Bliss & Co., || 109 Summer St., || Boston, Mass. || || || Dear Sirs; || || (Body of letter.) || || || || Very truly yours, || Walter A. Cutler. || |
(3)______________________________________________________| || Paxton, Ill. || July 3, 1905. || || American Typewriter Co., || 263 Broadway, New York. || || || Gentlemen: || || || (Body of letter.) || || || || Very truly yours, || (Miss) Jennie R. McAllister. || |
(4)______________________________________________________| || May 5, 1905. || || Daniel Low & Co., || 232 Essex St., Salem, Mass. || || || Dear Sirs; || || || (Body of letter.) || || || || Mary E. Ball || || Mrs. George W. Ball, || 415 Fourth St., || La Salle, Ill. || |
(5)______________________________________________________| || Marshalltown, Iowa. || Oct. 3, 1905. || || My dear Miss Meyer, || || || (Body of letter.) || || || Sincerely yours, || Dorothy Doddridge. || |
Write suitable headings, salutations, complimentary endings, and signatures for the following letters:—
1. To Spaulding & Co., Wabash Ave., Chicago, Ill., ordering their rules for basket ball.
2. To your older brother.
3. To the school board, asking for a gymnasium.
4. To some business house, making application for a position.
5. To the governor of your state.
6. From one stranger to another.
7. From an older brother to his little sister.
8. From a boy living in New Orleans to the father of his most intimate friend.
+99. The Envelope.+—The direction on the envelope, commonly called the superscription, consists of the name and address of the person or persons to whom the letter is sent. This direction should be written in a careful andcourteous manner, and should include all that is necessary to insure the prompt delivery of the letter to the proper destination.
The superscription may be arranged in three or four lines, each line beginning a little to the right of the preceding line. The name should be written about midway between the upper and lower edges of the envelope, and there should be nearly an equal amount of space left at each side. If there is any difference, there should be less space at the right than at the left. The street and number may be written below the name, and the city or town and state below. The street and number may be properly written in the lower left-hand corner. This is also the place for any special direction that may be necessary for the speedy transmission of the letter; for example, "In care of Mr. Charles R. Brown."
Women should be addressed asMissorMrs.In case the woman is married, her husband's first name and middle initial are commonly used, unless it is known that she prefers to have her own first name used. Men should be addressed asMr., and a firm may in many cases be addressed asMessrs.It is considered proper to use the titlesDr.,Rev., etc., in directing an envelope to a man bearing such a title, but it would be entirely out of place to address the wife of a physician or clergyman asMrs. Dr.orMrs. Rev.
The names of states may be abbreviated, but care should be taken that these abbreviations be plainly written, especially when there are other similar abbreviations. In compound names, as North Dakota and West Virginia, do not abbreviate one part of the compound and write out the other. Either abbreviate both or write out both. If any punctuation besides the period after abbreviations is used, it consists of a comma after each line. It is the custom now to omit such punctuation. Either form is in good taste, but whichever form is adopted, it should be employed throughout the entire superscription. The comma should not be used in one line and omitted in another.
Notice the following forms of correct superscriptions:—
(1)______________________________________________________||||| Mr. Milo R. Maltbie| 85 West 118th St.| New York.|______________________________________________________
(2)______________________________________________________||||| Mr. John D. Clark| New York| N.Y.|| Teachers College| Columbia University.|______________________________________________________
(3)______________________________________________________||||| Mrs. Edgar N. Foster| South Haven| Mich.|| Avery Beach Hotel.| ______________________________________________________
(4)______________________________________________________||||| Miss Louise M. Baker| Nottingham| Ohio.|| Box 129.|______________________________________________________
(5)______________________________________________________||||| Dr. James M. Postle| De Kalb| Ill.||______________________________________________________
(6)______________________________________________________||||| Miss Ida Morrison| Chicago| Ill.||| 1048 Warren Ave.|______________________________________________________
Write proper superscriptions to letters written to the following:—
1. Thaddeus Bolton, living at 524 Q Street, Lincoln, Nebraska.
2. The wife of a physician of your acquaintance.
3. James B. Angell, President of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
4. Your mother, visiting some relative or friend.
5. The publishers Allyn and Bacon, 878 Wabash Avenue, Chicago, Ill.
6. Edward Harrington, living at 1962 Seventh Avenue, New York.
7. To a friend at a seaside resort.
8. To a friend visiting your uncle in Oakland, California.
+100. The Great Rule of Letter Writing.+—The great rule of letter writing is, Never write a letter which you would not be willing to see in print over your own signature. That which yousayin anger may be discourteous and of little credit to you, but it may in time be forgotten; that which youwrite, however, may be in existence an untold number of years. Thousands of letters are now on exhibition whose authors never had such a use of them in mind. If you ever feel like writing at the end of a letter, "Burn this as soon as you read it," do not send it, but burn the letter yourself. Before you sign your name to any letter read it over and ask yourself, "Is this letter in form and contents one which would do me credit if it should be published?"
+101. Business Letters.+—Since the purpose of business letters is to inform, they should, first of all, be characterized by clearness. In asking for information, be sure that you state your questions so that there shall be no doubt in the mind of the recipient concerning the information that you desire. In giving information, be equally sure to state facts so clearly that there can be no possibility of a mistake.
Brevity is the soul of business letters as well as of wit. Business men are busy men. They have no time to waste in reading long letters, but wish to gain their information quickly. Hence we should aim to state the desired facts in as concise a manner as possible, and we should give only pertinent facts. Short explanations may sometimes be necessary, but nothing foreign to the subject-matter should ever be introduced. While we should aim to make our letters short, they should not be so brief as to appear abrupt and discourteous. It shows lack of courtesy to omit important words or to make too frequent use of abbreviations.
We should answer a business letter as soon as possible. This answer, besides giving the desired information, should include a reference to the letter received and an acknowledgment of inclosures, if there were any. All questions should receive courteous replies. The facts should be arranged in a form that will be convenient for the recipient. As a rule it is best to follow the order which the writer has used in his letter, but in some cases we may be able to state our facts more definitely and concisely if we follow some other order.
What has been said in general about attention to forms in letter writing might well be emphasized here, for business men are keen critics concerning letters received. Be careful to use the correct forms already suggested. Also pay attention to punctuation, spelling, and grammar. Write only on one side of the paper and fold the letter correctly. In fact, be businesslike in everything connected with the writing of business letters.
A few examples are here given for your notice:—
(1)______________________________________________________| || Ypsilanti, Mich. || April 4, 1905. || || Mr. William Wylie, || 807 Linn St., Peoria, Ill. || || Dear Mr. Wylie; || Inclosed is a letter from Superintendent Rogers || of Rockford, Ill. The position of teacher of || mathematics is vacant. The salary may not be so || much as you now receive, but in many respects the || position is a desirable one. I advise you to apply || for it. || Sincerely yours, || Charles M. Gates. || |
(2)______________________________________________________| || 586 State St., || Chicago, Ill. || July 20,1905. || || Mrs. Charles H. McNett, || 2345 Franklin St., || Denver, Colorado. || || Dear Madam:—Your card of July 9th is at hand. We || beg to say that we sent you the books by express, || prepaid, July 9th, and they have probably reached || you by this time. If you have not received them, || please notify us, and we will send a tracer after || them. || Very truly yours, || Brown and Sherman. || || |
(3)______________________________________________________| || Elgin High School, || Elgin, Ill. || Sept. 4, 1905. || || || Miss Ella B. Walker, || Herkimer, New York. || || My dear Miss Walker: || I am very sorry to have to trouble you, || but I am desirous of obtaining some information || concerning the High School Library. Will you kindly || let me know whether the card catalogue was kept up || to date prior to your departure and also whether the || accession book was in use up to that time? || I shall be greatly indebted to you if you will || give me this information. || Very sincerely yours, || Edward J. Taylor. || |
Write at least three of the following suggested letters, paying attention to the rules for writing business letters:—
1. Write to a dry goods firm, asking them to send you one of theircatalogues.
2. Write to the manager of a football team of some town near yours,proposing a game.
3. Write the reply.
4. In reply to an advertisement, write an application for the position of clerk or bookkeeper.
5. Write to the publishers of some magazine, asking them to change your address from 27 K Street, Toledo, Ohio, to 2011 Prospect Avenue, Beatrice, Nebraska.
6. Suppose yourself doing postgraduate work in your high school. Write to the president of some college, asking him concerning advanced credit.
+102. Letters of Friendship.+—While a great deal of information may be obtained from some letters of friendship, the real purpose of such letters is, usually, not to give information, but to entertain. You will notice that the information derived from letters of friendship differs from that found in business letters. Its nature is such that of itself it gives pleasure. Our letters to our relatives, friends, and acquaintances are but visits on paper, and it should be our purpose to make these visits as enjoyable as possible.
So much depends upon the circumstances attendant upon the writing of letters of friendship, that it is impossible to make any definite statement as to what they should contain. We may say in general that they should contain matter interesting to the recipient, and that they should be characterized by vividness and naturalness. Interesting material is a requisite, but that of itself is not sufficient to make an entertaining letter. Interesting material may be presented in so unattractive and lifeless a manner that much of its power to please is lost. Let your letters be full of life and spirit. In your descriptions, narrations, and explanations, express yourself so clearly and so vividly that those who read your letters will be able to understand exactly what you mean.
1. Write a letter to a classmate who has moved to another town, tellinghim of the school of which he was once a member.
2. Write to a friend, describing your visit to the World's Fair at St.Louis.
3. Suppose yourself away from home. Write a letter to your little brotheror sister at home.
4. If you have ever been abroad, describe in a letter some place ofinterest that you have visited.
5. Write to a friend who is fond of camping, about your campingexperience.
6. Suppose your mother is away from home on a visit. Write her about thehome life.
7. Write to a friend, describing a party that you recently attended.
8. Suppose you have moved from one town to another. In a letter compare the two towns.
+103. Adaptation to the Reader.+—The golden rule of letter writing is, Adapt the letter to the reader. Although the letter is an expression of yourself, yet it should be that kind of expression which shall most interest and please your correspondent. In business letters the necessity of brevity and clearness forces attention to the selection and arrangement of details. In letters to members of the family or to intimate friends we must include many very minor things, because we know that our correspondent will be interested in them, but a rambling, disjointed jumble of poorly selected and ill-arranged details becomes tedious. What we should mention is determined by the interests of the readers, and the successful letter writer will endeavor to know what they wish to have mentioned. In writing letters to our friends we ought to show that sympathetic interest in them and their affairs which we should have if we were visiting with them. On occasion, our congratulations should be prompt and sincere.
In reading letters we must not be hasty to take offense. Many good friendships have been broken because some statement in a letter was misconstrued. The written words convey a meaning very different from that which would have been given by the spoken word, the tone of voice, the smile, and the personal presence. So in our writing we must avoid all that which even borders on complaint, or which may seem critical or fault-finding to the most sensitive.
+104. Notes.+—Notes may be divided in a general way into two classes, formal and informal. Formal notes include formal invitations, replies, requests, and announcements. Informal notes include informal invitations and replies, and also other short communications of a personal nature on almost every possible subject.
+105. Formal Notes.+—A formal invitation is always written in the third person. The lines may be of the same length, or they may be so arranged that the lines shall be of different lengths, thus giving the page a somewhat more pleasing appearance. The heading, salutation, complimentary close, and signature are all omitted. The address of the sender may be written below the body of the letter. Many prefer it a little to the left, and the date is sometimes written below it. Others, however, prefer it directly below or a little to the right.
Replies to formal invitations should always be written in the third person, and should in general follow the style of the invitation. The date and the hour of the invitation should be repeated in the reply, and this reply should be sent immediately after receiving the invitation.
A few examples are here given to show the correct forms of both invitations and replies:—
(1)______________________________________________________| || Mr. and Mrs. Frederick William Thompson || request the pleasure of your company || on Monday evening, December thirtieth, || at half-past eight o'clock. || |
(2)______________________________________________________| || Miss Barrows accepts with pleasure Mr. and || Mrs. Thompson's invitation for Monday evening, || December thirtieth, at half-past eight o'clock. || |